Julia Lemigova can’t help but get emotional when discussing her family life.
Nearly one year after adopting two young boys with partner Martina Navratilova, the Real Housewives of Miami star is sharing a rare glimpse into her journey.
“Obviously, I cannot say a lot because I respect my kids’ privacy,” Julia, 53, exclusively shared with Us Weekly on Thursday, July 31. “Certain things we learned during the journey with them — we had them for one year — it just breaks my heart, and I put my life on hold in a way — and Martina as well — but in a way that only they matter.”
While trying to hold back tears, Julia acknowledged that there are more than 100,000 children in the United States in foster care waiting for a new home.
“We are just blessed that we were able to give those two boys unconditional love and a different chance for their future,” she continued. “We learn as we go.”
Julia Lemigova Courtesy of Julia Lemigova / Instagram
That’s not to say the journey has been an easy one. In a candid interview with Us, Julia shared a glimpse into the process of making her sons feel more comfortable at their new home.
“We need to get them through to get them to the point where they know they’ll never be taken away, and then they will have the stability, and the past is the past,” she said. “We always will respect it. You cannot erase it, but there are certain things that kids with trauma need to forget. It takes a lot of therapy. It’s not easy for the parents.”
In addition to her two boys, Julia has two daughters, Victoria and Emma, from previous relationships. Her late son, Maximilian, died from shaken baby syndrome at 5 months old while in the care of a nanny.
Julia Lemigova US Weekly
While Julia and Martina, 68, haven’t shared their sons on the current season of The Real Housewives of Miami just yet, they hope their story inspires others to never give up on their family dreams.
“Never lose hope, open your heart and be prepared that it’s not going to be easy,” she said. “When I talk about it, I get emotional because it’s very rewarding at the end when you see those kids finally.”
If the season trailer is any indication, viewers will eventually get a glimpse into Julia’s newest family members later this summer.
“What you see on camera is 100 percent true, but then you only see little clips of it,” she said. “We see the pain. We see the trauma, and then we see the reward.”
The Real Housewives of Miami airs on Bravo Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET. Stream old episodes anytime on Peacock.
